Country: Italy Region: Veneto Grape: Glera (aka Prosecco) Estate Bottled
Glera, also known as Prosecco, is a late-ripening varietal grown in the hills of Treviso in the region of Veneto, near Venice. It is used to make the region’s popular sparkling wines. The hills are very steep with a southern exposure. The vineyards enjoy ample sunshine, are well-drained and well-ventilated by the gentle breezes from the Adriatic Sea.
This extra-dry Spumante is from a rather simple recipe of 100% Glera, the historic name for Prosecco. What makes it special is how the wine is made. Vinification is in stainless steel vats kept at constant 18 – 20°C temperatures. The yeast and sugar react together to make carbon dioxide, which carbonates the wine. Fermenting the wine in steel tanks rather than in the bottle preserves the taste of the grapes, which gives this wine its fresh, fruity flavor.
Colored like straw, this yellow wine’s bouquet is floral and fruity, with hints of pears, apples and citrus fruits. The flavor is elegant, crisp and fruity, with excellent balance between softness and acidity.
Enjoy this wine selection very soon, as it will not benefit from aging. Serve chilled (at about 45°F) in fancy fluted glasses as an aperitif, or with any kind of fish or shellfish dishes.
Argento’s Extra Dry Sparkling Spumante:
GLERA — A white variety of Italian lineage, until 2009 it was mostly called Prosecco. Whatever it’s called, it is a rather neutral grape used mainly for sparkling Italian wines such as spumante. It is grown mainly in Italy. Glera is an old varietal, with its former name, Prosecco, derived from the village of Prosecco where it is thought to have originated. (Some believe it was first cultivated by the Romans, and praised by Pliny the Elder of ancient times.) Italy, home to some 2,000 grape varieties, ranks the Glera grape rather close to the top, thirtieth in importance.
